Cotton-chopper.



S. BAXLEY.

G OTTON SHOPPER. APPLICATION FILED JULY19,1912.

1,059, 107. Patented Apr. 15, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

S. BAXLEY.

COTTON SHOPPER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 19,1912.

Patented Aplf. 15, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

GWW

SPUBGEON BAXLEY, F WILMINGTQN, NORTE CAROLINA.

coTToN-CHOPPEB.

Speciieetion of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 15, 1913.

Application led July 19, 1912. Serial No. 710,448.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, SPURGEON BAXLEY,-

` a citizen of the United States, residing at VVilmingto-Inin the countyof New Hanover and State of North Carolina, have lnvented new and usefulImprovements 1n Cotton- Choppers, of which the following 1s a spec1-ication.

This invention relates' to machines for chopping cotton, and it hasparticular reference to that class of cotton choppers which are providedwith a plurality of hoes operating transversely of the row of plants andin Fig. 1.

deriving motion from the transporting wheels of the machine.

One object of the invention is to produce a machine of simple andimproved construe tion having convenient and easily operable `means,whereby the choppinghoes may be moved to and from ground engaging position and whereby they may be sustained at various adjustments to operateat the desired depth.

A further object of the invention is .to produce a machine of the classdescribed having simple and eiiicient means for actuating thev hoes.

With these and other ends in view which will readily appear as thenature of the inventionis better understood, the same consists in theimproved construction and novelv arrangement of parts which will behereinafter kfully c described and particularly pointed out in theclaims. v

In' the accompanying drawings has been lllustrated a simpleand'preferred form of. the invention, it being, however, understood thatno limitation is necessarily made to the recise structural detailstherein exhibited,

ut that changes, alterations, and modifications within the scope of theclaims may be resorted to when desired.

In the drawings,-Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine constructedin accordance with the invention, the near hind wheel having beenremoved. Fig. 2 is a top plan view. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectionalview taken on the line 3-3 in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectionalview taken onV the line 44 in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detail view insectional elevation taken on the line 5--5 in Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is asectional detail view enlarged, taken on the line 6-6 in Fig. 2. Fig. 7is a sectional detail view of a portion of the operating shaft taken onthe line 7--7 Fig. Sis a perspective detail view lillustrating themanner of connecting the hoe with the crank of the operating shaft.

Corresponding parts in the several yfigures are denoted by likecharacters of reference. The rectangular main frame 1 having theplatform 2 is supported at its front end on a truck 3 including a fifthwheel 4 of suitable construction to enable the machine to make a shortturn. The hind axle 5 which is supported for rotation in brackets 6depending from the frame of the machine carries the transporting wheels7.

Supported for rotation in brackets 8 depending from a platform is alongitudinal shaft S which is composed of two sections 9 and 10, one oflwhich, 10, carries a sleeve 11 in which the shaft section 9 telescopes,said shaft section 9 being provided with Va slot 12 for the passage ofconnecting members such as bolts or rivets 13 passing diametricallythrough the sleeve with which the shaft section 9 is thus connected forrota tion. The sleeve 11 is firmly secured on the shaft section 10byllfastening members 14. The sleeve has an annular groove 15 forming aseat for a ring or collar 16 which is suitably co1 nected with abifurcated operating lever 19 fulcrumed on the platform, at. 20, in aposition to enable the upwardly extending arm 21 which constitutes thehandle of thevlever, to be conveniently grasped and manipulated by theoperator whose seat 22 is likewise supported on the platform. For thepurpose o vsecuring the lever and related v parts in adjusted position,said lever is provided with.4 afsuitable stop member 23 engaginganotched segment 24. The shaft section 10 carries at its rear end apinion 25 lwhich may be placed in mesh with any' one of a plurality ofannular series of teeth 26 on a dlsk 27 which is mounted on a hind axle5. It will be readily seen that by pro er manipulation of the lever 19the sha t section may be adjusted so as to cause the shaft S to bedriven at Various speeds. It will further be noted that the centralportion of the face of the disk 7 is void of teeth, as best seen at 28in Fig. 1. It is evident that by placing the pinion 25 in juXtapositionto the spa-:e 28 the rotation of the shaft S will be interrupted.

The main frame 1 is provided with guides 29 for the vertically movablehoe supporting frame F which consists of a yoke or arch, disposedlongitudinally ofthe main frame at one side thereof and having sidemembers 30 are connected together by a rod 34. A

bracket 35l supported on the platform 2 affords a bearing for a shaft 36carrying a pinion 37 meshing with the rack bar 33 and a ratchet wheel38. A lever 39 which is fulcrumed on the shaft 36 carries apawl 40 thatengages the ratchet wheel 38 to effect rotation of the latter and of theshaft carrying the pinion 37 which meshes with the rack bar 33, therebyenabling the frame F to be moved in an upward direction. The lever 39which is extended in the direction of the drivers seat to enable it tobe operated by the foot of the operator is supported in normal or raisedposit-ion by means of a spring 41, best seen in Fig. 5.

For the purpose of retaining the frame F in a raised position, springcatches 42 are provided, said catches engaging the ratchet teeth 31 ofthe side members 30 ofthe frame. The catches 42 with their actuatingsprings .43 are inclosed in housings 44. For the purpose of disengagingthe spring actuated catches 42 from the lratchet barsa lever 45 isprovided, said lever being ositioned intermediate the side members o theframe F and connected with the catches 42 by links or connecting members46, one of which is connected with the lever above and the otherbelowthe fulcrum thereof, so that by rocking the said lever the springcatches will be simultaneously disengaged from the ratchets of the sidebars, and thus permitting the frame F to drop by gravity. The downwardmovement of the frame is limited by stop members 47 engagin the top ofthe frame.

For the purpose of maintaining the lever 45 normally in an approximatelyupright: position, a spring 48 is provided, as bestseen in Fig. 5, saidspring having a recess j 49 to receive the lower extremity of the leverwhich is slightly rounded, as shown, so that while the spring willmaintain the lever in an upright position, it will not obstruct therocklng movement thereof. The lever 45 is also connected with the'pawl40 by means of a suitable link 50, whereby, when the lever is rocked todisengage the catches 42 from the ratchets on the side bars of the frameF, the said pawl 40 will at the same time be lifted. to a non-engagingposition with respect to the ratchet wheel 38, per-- mitting the latterto rotate freely while the frame F is moving in a downward direction.

The longitudinal shaft S is provided with cranks 51 with which thehandles 52 of the hoes are pivotally connected. Said handles arepreferably provided with boxes or bearings 53 including hinged members54 which are capable of being secured by fastening means, such as bolts55, which may be 'mensions of the hoe bla es.

readily removed when, for any reason, it shall be desired to disengagethe hoe handle from the cranks 51. The handles 52 are providedwith-longitudinal slots 56 engaging the rod 34 which is supported at thelower ends of the side members of the frame F, said rod being preferablymounted vdetachably in ears 57 at the lower ends of the side members 30where it ma be secured by means of a set screw 58. lades 59 of anysuitable kind are mounted at the outer ends of the hoe handles andsubstantially at right angles thereto.

In the operation of this invention it will be readily seen that bymanipulating the :lever 19, the shaft S may be caused to rotate atvarious speeds, thus transmitting motion vto the hoes which, beingactuated by the cranks, will engage the ground transversely of the rowof plants that is being operated l upon, thereby chopping out thesuperiiuous plants and leaving stands at the proper intervals which maybe re ulated by the di- By roperly adjusting the frame F the hoes will emade to engage the ground at the proper depth, or the frame F may beraised to such an extent as to lift the hoes to a non-engagingposition.The general construction of the device -is very simple and inexpensive,and the various working parts may be readily and easily controlled bythe operator.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

1. In a cotton chopper, a wheel supported main frame having verticalguides, a vertically slidable frame engagin said guides, saidframehaving side mem ers provided with ratchet teeth, an intermediatelydisposedv rack bar and a rod supported at the lower ends of the sidemembers, spring actuated catches engaging' the ratchet teeth of the sidemembers, a pinion engaging the rack bar, means including a pawl andratchet for effecting step by step rotation of the pinion engaging therack bar to elevate the frame, and means for retracting the springuactuated catches and the pawl to permit downward movement of the frame.

2. In a cotton chopper, a wheel supported mainframe, a longitudinallydisposed shaft having cranks, means for driving said shaft at variousspeeds, a longitudinally disposed frame guided for vertical movement,said frame having side members provided with ratchet teeth, anintermediately disposed rack bar and a rod supported detachably at thelower ends of the sidemembers, hoes having handles provided with slotsengaging the rod, said handles being pivotally connected with the cranksof the longitudinal shaft, spring actuated catches engaging the ratchetteeth of the side members of the frame to support the latter in adjustedposition, stops to limit the downward movement of the frame,

means for eiectng adjustment of the frame the spring' actuated catches,and a link con- 1o including a pinion meshing with the rack necting saidlever with the awl. bar, a shaft carrying said pinion, a ratchet Intestimony whereof I a x my signature wheel on the shaft, a springsupported foot in presence of two witnesses. lever pivot/ed on theshaft, and a pawl pivoted on the foot lever and engaging the SPURGEONBAXLEY ratchet wheel; and means for disenga g` Witnesses:

the supporting means of the frame inclu in' WM. BAGGER,

a lever, members connecting said lever wit H. Lrr'rMAN.

